Great Woodswallow

About the Great Woodswallow

The great woodswallow (Artamus maximus), also known as the greater woodswallow, giant woodswallow or New Guinea woodswallow, is a species of bird in the family Artamidae. As its name implies, it is the largest member of the genus Artamus, averaging 20 centimetres (7.87 in) in length and 61 grams (2.2 oz) in mass. The great woodswallow is very similar in appearance to the more widespread white-breasted woodswallow, but it can be distinguished by its darker black upper side plumage and by the presence of a semi-oval black patch below the throat.

The great woodswallow occurs naturally in tropical moist montane forest, usually amongst clearings with dead trees, most typically dead emergents above the canopy of primary rainforest. Although the species has been known to be common ever since the first Western explorers of New Guinea, it has adapted very well to human manipulation of the landscape and is especially common near Highland towns such as Mount Hagen and Goroka. Great woodswallows are found as high as 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), but are most abundant between 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) and 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). Unlike the Australian dusky woodswallow, great... Wikipedia →